Boat structure



Oct. 23, 1951 D. HOPPENSTAND 2,572,623

BOAT STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 5,- 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET l INVENTOR.

Oct. 23, 1951 HOPPENSTAND 2,572,623

BOAT STRUCTURE 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1946 INVENIOR.

Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOAT STRUCTURE David Hoppenstand, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application December 5, 1946, Serial No. 714,346

1 Claim. 1

My invention consists in new and useful improvements in boats.

Among the objects in view are the following.

The provision of a boat of light weight which may be easily transported from place to place, as upon the roof of an automobile and which may be easily launched or drawn from the water by one person.

The provision of such a light weight boat which is strong enough to resist without damage the usual rough handling to which boats are subjected, and contact with rocks, docks and the like.

The provision of a light weight boat to which an outboard motor may be applied safely.

The provision of a boat the parts of which may be shipped in knockdown compact form and readily assembled at the point of delivery.

The provision of a light weight boat which will be unsinkable.

Other objects will appear from the following description.

For the accomplishment of these and other objects I have invented a new and improved type of boat, hereinafter described, formed of sheets of light weight non-corrosive material such as aluminum assembled with chines and gunwales formed of the same or similar material in a new and improved manner.

Other features of novelty and invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated a practical embodiment of the principles of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the boat;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken horizontal crosssection of the prow of the boat taken along the line 22 in Fig. 1;

1 1 Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the same taken along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the boat taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a broken view in perspective showing the stern interior of the boat as the same is illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical crosssectional view of the same taken along the line 66 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a like view to Fig. 5 but illustrating a modified stern construction.

Referring to the drawings, the hull of the boat is enclosed with sheets of a corrosion-proof material of light weight, preferably aluminum, comprising a bottom sheet 10 and two side sheets II.

The numeral 12 represents a pair of chines of angular cross-section, each provided with two 2 longitudinal grooves, one of said grooves, indicated at I3, being formed in the inboard face of the chine and the second groove, indicated at M, in its upper face. The two chines are in spaced relation and converge both forwardly and rearwardly from the waist of the boat to provide the bottom of the boat with the proper contour.

The lateral edges of the bottom sheet II], which is of the proper contour to close the space between the chines IZ, are inserted in the grooves The grooves l3 are of such a width that the sheets would fit them loosely and when the sheets are to be assembled with the chines, the grooves are loaded with a suitable calking material, such as the waterproof oil-resistant cold-setting, rubber-like adhesive sold under the trade-mark Pliabond. As the margin of the sheet is thrust into the groove the calking material spreads up along the side walls of the groove, as indicated at M, and as it sets and hardens cements the sheet and the splines together. To hold the sheet and chine in proper relation while the calking material sets, I insert screws [6 in holes in the chine which intersect the groove l3 and extend through properly positioned holes in the sheet. The holes do not extend through the water side of the chines so that leakage is prevented.

The bottom edges of the side sheets H are likewise inserted into and secured in the grooves 15 of the chines and are secured therein in like manner by calking cement and also by screws IB driven in from the interior of the boat.

The numeral l1 indicates the two gunwales which are provided with longitudinal grooves IS in their under face in which the top edges of the side sheets II are stepped and secured by the calking cement and screws in the manner described above.

The numeral l9 indicates the stem of the boat preferably inclined upwardly and forwardly but which, if desired, may be vertical. The stem is provided at either side of its inboard surface with the longitudinal surfaces 20 against which the front ends of the chines abut. As shown in Fig. 2 the sides of the stem are angular and the ends of the chines must be notched with an angular face to fit the surfaces 20 and each other. 2| indicates vertical grooves, one of which is formed in each of the surfaces 20 and which extend from the top of the stem to a point slightly above the bottom end of the-latter.

The bow ends of the gunwales rest upon the top of the stem, the ends being mitered to fit snugly against each other. Y

The grooves 2I are so positioned that at their lower ends they register with the grooves I5 of the chines while their upper ends register with the grooves I8 of the gunwales, The front margins of the side sheets I I extend into the grooves 2I of the stem and are secured by the calking cement.

The stem I9 is also provided with a transverse groove 22 adjacent its lower end and at the proper elevation to register at its ends with the grooves I3 of the chines, and the bottom sheet I!) extends forwardly into the groove 22 and is cemented in place therein.

The converging extremities of the gunwales H are secured as by the screws 23 to the stem 19,.

and 24 indicates a deck plate which is contoured to match the prow and is secured as by screws bent to curve upwardly to enclose the stern. The

rear ends of the side sheets II are inserted in the grooves I5 of the curved upwardly extending portions of the chines and a transom gunwale member 25 extends between the rear ends of the 'gunwales II, the ends of said member and those of the gunwales being mitered to fit to ether.

The transom gunwale has the same cross-sectional shape as is shown in Fig. 4 in connection with the gunwales II, the depending portion being provided with a downwardly opening slot to receive the upper edge portion of the upturned bottom sheet III. The upturned rear edge of the bottom sheet I8 is secured in the longitudinal groove of the transom gunwale. 21 indicates triangular gusset plates attached by screws to the 4 gunwales and the transom 'gunwales' at the corners to give strength and rigidity to the structure. These gusset plates also conveniently serve as handgr-ips for handling the boat, 28 "indicates a wooden board which may be bolted to the stern for mounting an outboard motor in position.

In this type of transom structure the rear extension portion of the bottom sheet, which is to be curved upwardly,.is provided with ,rearwardly diverging edges and the bent-up portions of the chines likewise diverge so that the rear edges of'the outwardly flaring side sheets'will be aligned with and may be secured in the grooves II) .of the upward curved portions of the chines.

'In Fig. '7 a modified form of'the transom .structure is illustrated-a structure designed for larger boats and for use where outboard motors of high horsepower are to be employed.

- In this 'modified structure a transom frame is provide within which is mounted the aluminum transom sheet '29. The frame comprises a transom sill 313, two corner posts 35 and a transom gunwale 32. The sill and. posts are similar in cross-section to the chines in that they are provided with two longitudinal grooves in planes in angular relation to each other.

-The abutting ends of the chines I2 and of the $111 30 :are mitered to' fit with the horizontal groove of the sill registeringat Jits ends with the tax grooves I3 of the two chines. The rear end edge of the bottom sheet I0 is secured in the horizontal groove of the sill.

The lower ends of the posts 3| rest upon the abutting ends of the chines and the sill, the longitudinal grooves of the posts facing forwardly of the boat receiving the end margins of the side sheets I I which are cemented therein. The transom gunwale 32. is similar in cross-section to the gunwales I1 and the ends of the former are mitered to fit the mitered ends of the gunwales, and the joined ends rest on top of the posts and are secured thereto by screws. The bottom edges of the transom sheet 29 extends into and is cemented in place in the upwardly opening groove in the sill 3B. sheet are secured in the grooves in the posts 3I which face transverse of the boat and the top edge of the transom sheet is secured in the groove in the under side of the transom gunwale 32.

Gusset plates 21 are secured by screws to the mitered fitting ends of the gunwales .andwthe transom gunwale, said gusset plates being indicated in Fig. 7 by dotted lines for the sake of clearness. I

The numeral 33 indicates the keel, preferably of the cross-sectional shape shown. The keel extends longitudinally of the boat. and is cemented to the under surface of the bottom sheet IE]. At its forward end it is formed to provide a shoulder 34 which fits. against the inboard face of the stem and to also provide a flat surface .35 upon which the lower end of the stem rests. As shown in Fig. 3 the surface of the shoulder, is matched upwardly by the end ifacexof the .chines I2 which surface is angular to the longitudinal surfaces of the chines as shown in Fig. 2. The under side of the keel is tapered upward at its front end to merge with the stem at the-proiw of the boat. A screw 0; screws secure :the end of the keel to the under surface of the stem In Figs. 1 and'5 the rear end of the keel is curved upwardly as at 36 to fit the curve of. the bottom sheet II) to form an abutment to prevent injury to the transom of the boat. In the :case of the transom structure illustrated in Fig. 7, the rear end of the keel is notched to fit under the sill 30 and is cemented thereto.

In the manufacture of my improved boat the chines, gunwales, stem, transom posts, sills and transom gunwales are preferably made of aluminum by extrusion casting. The screws, bolts and the deck plate. the gusset plates, the row locks and the seat brackets are formed of stainless steel or some other noncorros ivematerial.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, 3'! indicates the depending seat brackets having their opposite ends bent in reverse direction, the upper ends fitting on top of the gunwales II and fastened thereto by the cap screws 38. The intermediate portion of the brackets extend downwardly within the hull and to their lower bent ends are attached the seats 39.

The seats may be, if desired, merely board but to render the boat unsinkable I form the-seat as a hollow box extending transversely of the boat, preferably of rectangular cross-section, and insert in the same a bat 5B of buoyant material which will not absorb water, such as the material sold under the trade-mark Slyrofome bythe Dow-Chemical Company; 'Ihebox-likeseats may be made of wood and do not need .to be watertight.- Tests have demonstrated that seat structures of this character will absolutely prevent sinkage.

The end edges of the transom- The row locks 4| are of the usual type and are secured by cap bolts to the inner face of the gunwales I'I.

I claim:

In a boat structure, the combination of a pair of chines and a pair of gunwales each in spaced relation and converging toward their bow ends, a one-piece stem the opposite ends to which the respective ends of the converging chines and gunwales are secured, a one-piece bottom sheet shaped to fit between the two chines and attached along its longitudinal edges to the said chines and to said stem, a pair of side sheets, one of which fits between each one of the chines and the adjacent gunwale and is attached to the corresponding chine and gunwale, a keel member extending the full length of the boat from front to rear and secured to the underside of the bottom sheet, and the front end of the keel member having formed therein an upwardly open angular seat in which the lower portion of the stem fits and is securely fixed, the rear wall of said seat providing a shoulder which supports the stem from its rear and the bottom of said seat supporting the stem from below and an angular face on each chine providing an extension of said shoulder to engage and support the stem from its rear.

DAVID I-IOPPENSTAND.

6 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,761,451 Ohnstrand June 3, 1930 1,897,661 Erskine Feb. 14, 1933 2,079,868 Patch May 11, 1937 2,193,892 Gorden Mar. 19, 1940 2,243,372 Chlopicki May 27, 1941 2,282,321 Nelson May 12, 1942 2,312,722 Lermont Mar. 2, 1943 2,353,013 Clark July 4, 1944 2,392,834 Clement Jan. 15, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 393,767 Great Britain June 15, 1933 455,088 Great Britain Oct. 13, 1936 OTHER REFERENCES Boatbuilding by H. I. Chapelle, copyright 1941 by W. W. Norton & 00., N. Y., pp. 200 and 446. 

